


It Tasted Like Freedom

by TooYoungToFeelThisTired



Series: What if? [42]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Angst, Captivity, F/M, Falling In Love, Family Bonding, First Kiss, First Love, Five and Vanya start as thirteen year olds, Five's POV, Fluff, Friendship, Loneliness, Love, No incest if you understand Fiveya, Old Number Five | The Boy, Pre-Season/Series 01, Reginald Hargreeves' A+ Parenting, Romance, Siblings, Vanya Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Vanya is later twenty-nine, Vanya knows she has powers, fiveya - Freeform, mentions of abuse, mentions of trauma, others are mentioned - Freeform, pre-teen love, starts with them as kids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:28:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26683699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TooYoungToFeelThisTired/pseuds/TooYoungToFeelThisTired
Summary: 'Number Seven.' 'What Number Seven? There is no Number Seven. Show yourself. Who are you?' 'I'm Seven, don't you remember me? Please, don't tell him you saw me. I'm not allowed to come out of the basement, but I was hungry.' 'What are you talking about?''Dad... he doesn't want me to go out of the basement, and I don't, I swear. I was just hungry.' 'Wait...whose dad?' 'Our dad, Number Five.'
Relationships: Number Five | The Boy & Vanya Hargreeves, Number Five | The Boy/Vanya Hargreeves
Series: What if? [42]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1313192
Comments: 28
Kudos: 168





	It Tasted Like Freedom

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own anything

Since Number Five could remember he could never understand why his other siblings were afraid of the dark. He never found anything haunting in it the way Number Four did as he screamed that people with scary faces were in his room or Number Six who claimed his stomach was letting out strange terrifying noises when the lights were off. He wasn't sure why Number Two and Three didn't like the dark, but he noticed how they often turned on the lights before running to the other room to turn off the previous ones so there was always some light around. He wasn't sure what Number One's thoughts were on the dark, but he always sided with either Dad or Number Three so he did the same as her.

Number Five didn't have any problem with the dark. Whenever he woke up hungry or thirsty he simply walked to the kitchen without bothering to turn on the light or used the bathroom. He didn't want to run into anyone, and it was sometimes even more interesting to walk around in the dark where everything looked different than during the day. It was like he entered a different reality of this house. All the things were at the same place they were during the day, and yet they felt different. It also helped that with his powers he could easily jump to all the places he needed to not causing additional noises the ways others did when they tried to sneak out. He was being a bit unfair though. Most of his siblings could be quiet as well.

His night visits to the kitchen started when he realized he needed more food for energy to be better at his jumps. He conducted the perfect snack to boost his level of sugar and energy in a peanut butter sandwich with marshmallows. Also, he liked the taste.

Tonight when he jumped to the kitchen he momentarily paused. Being in training since they could walk, Five developed an instinct about situations and when something didn't feel right. Now he had the same feeling. Something was different about the kitchen tonight although he couldn't quite tell why or what was it.

He waited for a few moments looking at the door maybe subconsciously thinking of an intruder checking visually if it was locked. It seemed to be closed and the lock was on, but his senses weren't calmed down by it.

Suddenly being in the dark made him uneasy. He was in a disadvantage. He could jump away, but what if there was an intruder, and it would buy him time to escape. Also, it would reveal Five's position to him too.

He turned around trying to distinguish what or who was the cause of his distress when he heard, 'I was just hungry. _Please,_ don't tell him.'

Five blinked immediately getting into a fighting position looking to the corner of the dark kitchen where the sound came from.

'Who's there?' he asked not shouting but talking loud enough that if someone was close by they would hear him.

'Number Seven,' said the tiny voice he now recognized as a girl's one.

He frowned, 'What Number Seven? There is no Number Seven. Show yourself.'

There was silence for a moment before he heard tiny footsteps and finally saw a figure coming out of the dark corner behind the door.

Five had to focus a bit to be able to see a girl around his height with long hair wearing pajamas the same as his and something inside her hand walking out into the light coming from the streets. She was hiding most of her face behind her hair not even looking at him properly. If Five didn't know better that only Four had such an ability, he would think she was a ghost.

'Who are you?' he asked still frowning wondering if she was some homeless girl or a neighbor or something. Up until last year, they had very little contact with the outside world and even now only went out to get some social and world skills not to make friends. Dad kept on telling them that soon they would have a public debut, and they needed to act like superheroes and children in which the world could love whatever that meant.

'I'm Seven, don't you remember me?' said the girl now sounding a bit confused more than scared, 'Please, don't tell him you saw me. I'm not allowed to come out of the basement, but I was...hungry.'

Five's frown didn't ease and neither did his confusion about the whole ordeal, 'What are you talking about?'

'Dad,' she said as if it should have clarified everything, and in a strange way it did and didn't at all, 'He doesn't want me to go out of the basement, and I don't, I swear. I was just hungry,' she said and her voice went a bit smaller at the end.

Five blinked confused more than anything, 'Wait... whose dad?'

The girl raised her head a bit and Five noticed she had glowing white eyes which made him froze in fear for a moment, 'Our dad, Number Five.'

Before Five could even process what she said they heard the noise from upstairs and the girl rushed to the door, 'Don't tell Pogo or anyone you saw me.'

Five finally snapped out of his shock before he teleported upstairs to the lounge and then the main hallway to see the girl disappear behind one of the walls under the staircase just as someone appeared at the top of the stairs.

'Master Five,' said Pogo, 'is something the matter?'

The ape was dressed in his pajamas sounding very tired like he just was woken up.

Five quickly shook his head, 'No, sorry... I was just hungry.' The irony of it all didn't escape him as he forced himself not to look to the direction the girl disappeared to give away what just happened even if he wasn't sure.

_What the hell just happened ?_

'I see, you know Sir Reginald, doesn't approve of late-night walks around the house. But I could make you a sandwich if you like?' he asked, but Five was already shaking his head tearing his eyes from the wall and walking up the stairs, 'Thank you, but I already ate one. Good night.'

Five trembled the whole way he walked up the stairs to his room trying to figure out what just happened and that it wasn't all a dream. She knew him. She knew his name. She knew who he was and who was dad and Pogo yet he didn't know her. He didn't know who the heck she was, and he couldn't understand how it was possible. Could there really have been seventh children? Could they have another sister? If so why was she in the basement? Why didn't he remember her? Why would dad keep her from them?

He didn't catch any sleep that night thinking about her and what it meant. Her eyes were glowing white. He didn't see her well in the dark, but he saw her eyes were white and glowing, so she obviously had some abilities as well. He wondered what was hers. He wondered about everything about her and what he knew about his family staying awake until the early morning before exhaustion took him away not satisfied with the lack of answers to his question at all.

* * *

If Five trusted his siblings more he would try to talk to them about the mystery girl from the basement, but he didn't. It was clear since they never mentioned another sibling they didn't remember her either. At least from his attempt to prove his theory by suggesting what would it be like if they had another sister when Three again took over the bathroom. Four and Two cracked jokes, Luther's answer was neutral, Six just said he hoped she would take lesser time in the bathroom. Three was the only one who looked at him in a funny way before she asked why he would need another one?

There was no way he could ask dad about it since he would definitely deny and given how much the girl was _begging_ him not to tell him it might cause her trouble.

During some spare time, he tried to walk around the parts of the basement he could get to. The gym, the pool, some hallways, but there were parts that were closed or had special doors behind them.

He never jumped into a room blindly since after one of the attempts his hand accidentally ended up inside the door, and he broke wrist when he panicked and tried to get it out before another jump. Dad said he would be able to train once he got a better hold of his powers. _Idiot_. It was his fault Five even tried it in the first place. Their dad always seemed to have an excuse for every one of his failures but always letting them eat out theirs.

When he came across a dead-end in one of the hallways he attempted to knock on it. Not for any particular reason maybe just to see if it wasn't a fake wall as well. It wasn't a very solid idea. Even if the girl was behind the wall, it was hard stone so she wouldn't be able to hear it.

As he was walking back, he did hear a fainted noise, some of the dust fall of the stone, and the lamps started to swing from side to side. It was strange since without any open doors or windows there shouldn't have been wind and they lived in a city where an earthquake or any earth activity was very unlikely. Without a way to know what it was, Five returned upstairs just in time for his classes vowing to himself to try and get through the secret wall when everyone would be asleep.

* * *

Despite Five's best efforts it was hard to stay awake. He had to set up an alarm clock feeling his eyes closing every couple of minutes as he was still tired from the previous night of restless tossing in bed wondering about Seven.

_Number Seven_

He still couldn't believe dad would adopt another child but keep her in the basement. Was she dangerous? If so, why would he keep her? She didn't look too dangerous to him when she stood in the kitchen. Her powers had to be linked to her eyes but what were they?

Even asleep the moment he heard the first noise from his alarm clock he turned it off and patiently waited for another half an hour to make sure no one woke up by it before he jumped to the hallway downstairs.

It took him a while to figure out how to move the wall and get inside. Dear old pops made sure the fake block of the wall was too high to reach for kids.

Once inside he paused for a moment. He was never in this part of the house and the hallways weren't lightened in any way. Number Five was never scared of the dark, not like Number Four or Two, but right now he did feel unsure. The girl was down there. He wanted to see her, talk to her, figure out the mystery behind her existence. So why was he just standing there now?

 _Maybe I should go back_.

He frowned at his own thought. Where did that come from? He was no coward. He was not backing down from this.

Five marched inside before almost tripping on a set of stairs and slowing his pace. A bit further down the seemingly endless and dark hallway he found a light switch. The hallway was even longer than he expected and at the end was an elevator with only up and down button. He swallowed new doubts and went down carefully listening to the sound of the rusty elevator wondering how loud it was and yet they never heard it. The ride was almost five minutes long before the thing finally stopped.

Five's heartbeat was going wild at this point as he only now took in that his little investigation took him somewhere he was never before and if something happened to him down here no one would ever know.

He swallowed and walked further toward some large doors like for a vault. It was only then when he tried and failed to open them he momentarily wished he had told One before quickly remembering he would definitely betray him and tell everything to dad.

Five found it useless. He was too weak to open the door and unless he wanted to end up stuck inside a metal wall, his mission was proven unsuccessful. Maybe he missed a hallway or some other door when getting here, but he found it unluckily.

He mentally cursed the situation and turned back to the elevator.

_Should he leave?_

Then he heard the squeaky sound of the metal wheel on the door being moved on its own. He jumped back to the elevator more of a shock than fear and waited as the wheel slowly turned before it finally stopped, and the door started to open incredibly slowly.

The girl from last night, Seven, was behind the door looking at him, 'You knocked?'

He didn't answer her joke and started to walk closer not sure what to actually do or say now that he was here.

She was still hiding most of her face behind her bangs and the side of her hair but in the light from the hallway and the room behind the safe door, he saw that she was very pale with dark chocolate hair wearing a PJs identical to the one they had but shorter.

Five stopped a few steps in front of her still just looking at her before she looked a bit up. Her eyes were still white which now wasn't as disturbing as it was last night in the dark. They looked maybe like the eyes of someone wearing contacts or a blind person. In the dark, they were glowing almost dreadfully, but in the light, they seemed rather fine revealing the girl's hesitation but not fear.

'How did you open the door?' he asked eying the other side of it. There was no level or wheel and it was impossible for him to open it so how did this tiny girl manage it?

She shrugged her shoulder before looking at it, 'I heard you trying to open it so I did it for you.'

'Yeah, but how?' he stepped closer looking at the room behind her. It was empty except for another smaller vault with open doors as well.

She sighed and turned a bit around looking at the door to the smaller vault before they started to move and very slowly close, 'Like that.'

'Oh,' said Five taking it in, 'So you move objects? Your power is telekinesis, right?' he asked and stepped closer again while she stepped to the side as if to allow him to enter the last room before the smaller vault.

'In a way, dad calls it sound manipulation and energy creation,' she explained and Five blinked looking at her again, 'Sound? What does that have to do with telekinesis?'

'Dad says I absorb the sound around me and use it to create energy which then helps me move objects and stuff,' she said and walked back into the vault into in a slower step which Five took as an invitation to follow.

She opened the door again and they walked inside. Five paused though as he saw the room. It was filled with pointy cones sticking from the walls. Instantly, it made him realize the time they studied sound, sound waves, sound barriers, and talked about vapor cones in the physics class. He was sure the cones were inside the vault to break the sound, and therefore disable the girl-Seven's abilities.

Apart from the bizarre interior of the vault, Five noticed the small bed a few books lying around on a desk with papers, and a small wardrobe. It looked more like a prison cell than a room now that Five thought about it but didn't say it.

'So,' he started feeling uneasy looking at the room. He pitied Seven for having to stay in such a room. His and all his siblings' rooms were enormous compared to this one and it made his stomach feel sick just imaging that someone, that she was stuck here all the time, all alone.

'This is your room?' he tried not to make his voice shake.

But Seven simply nodded oblivious or ignorant of his struggles, 'Yeah.'

Five walked a bit around wishing he could leave it and not have to face it for some reason. It just made him feel so awful for her that she lived here when the rest of them were upstairs. He would never complain about practice or anything ever again nothing was worth it compare to her life.

'Why are you here? I mean, why are you down here?' he asked and Seven shrugged her shoulder again before she hopped on the bed, 'I can't control my powers very well. When I lose control bad things happen.'

She looked a bit away as if ashamed by what she admitted, 'So dad makes me stay and train here until I get better at them.'

Five listened to what she said. It sounded like their dad for sure but to this extreme? Were her powers really that dangerous? Two cut him multiply times during practice, and One broke Four's wrist once, Three rumored them out of anger a couple of times and yet they were allowed to stay upstairs. Hell, even Six who often complained he needed to take a few minutes breaks to control his tentacles.

'You didn't seem out of control before,' he said, and Seven grimaced a bit looking up at him making him see her face a bit better. She looked pale and a bit tired, but overall he would call her cute. Then again he didn't meet any girls his age apart from Three, who was well Three and stubborn and a bit annoying if he was being honest. He supposed he could co-exist with Three. She was his sister and a part of the Umbrella Academy, but it didn't mean he had to like her all that much.

'That wasn't hard. I learned that about a year ago,' she said pulling her knees to her chest.

Five looked at her desk and noticed her math homework. It was the same assignment they were given the previous day, 'Pogo tutors you too?'

Seven nodded, 'Him and mom, yes. Dad only comes to train my powers.'

This was so bizarre. She was living in their house, right under them, and did everything they did from the looks of it, and yet they didn't even know about her.

'I don't remember you,' he confessed, 'and I don't think the others do either. I don't know why.'

She blinked some of the wary and shyness fading away the more they talked. It even helped Five feel a bit better inside this horribly dreadful room.

'Oh, don't worry about it. I don't really remember the time up either. I was here for a long time. Mom said they brought me here little after she was built so when we were...three?' she asked guessing. He didn't really remember the time before mom was build either. It seemed so long ago. The nannies before her just came and go. Working for an eccentric billionaire taking care of his super-powered kids wasn't for everyone.

Five turned fully to look at her a bit confused now, 'But how did you know it was me? You said my name last night.'

Seven hopped down from the bed and pulled out something from under her pillow. It was a small article about the anniversary of their birthday from two years ago where their dad let them take a picture of all six of them with him. The article was laying in the lounge so Five saw it before, but he didn't really bother with looking at it after the month Three wouldn't shut up about it and carried it around.

'But it was dark,' he said immediately remembering the small fact even if she knew their faces it was too dark yesterday to really see who she was talking to.

She took the article from him and tugged it under the pillow again before she said in a bit of a lower voice, 'Uh, I heard you before. I recognized your voice.'

Five frowned even more, 'Where?'

'I told you I use sound to make energy. I hear you. All of you,' she said and Five was let speechless processing it all, 'So you can hear us? Right now?'

She was quiet for a moment looking away, and he was sure she wouldn't answer before she said, 'Six woke up from a nightmare. One and Three are still in the attic where they snuck out. Four is talking to a ghost. Two, dad and Pogo are asleep. I can hear them breathing softly and their heartbeats are slow.'

Five watched her for a moment feeling incredibly unsure now. She heard them. All the time? Everything they did?

'So you know everything. Everyone ever says and does-'

'I'm not spying on you!' she said quickly although the fact that she didn't want him to think she was made him think she really was.

Seven bit her lip looking embarrassed based on the red color he spotted on her cheeks hidden by her hair.

Ultimately as if admitting defeat, she sighed, 'I only hear you if the door is opened and it's not like I can turn it off. I usually only do it late at night when I know all of you are asleep. It's less noisy that way and I can control myself better.'

Five tried to push down the annoyance of having someone spy on him like that and tried to tell himself it was the same as Four's seeing and hearing ghosts.

'I'm sorry,' she said and shrugged her shoulders looking away. Now it was Five's turn to feel bad. He didn't want to upset her, he just...he wanted to understand it and get some answers. So far he wasn't liking the ones he got.

Seven stood up suddenly before he could think up a proper way to apologize without actually apologizing for upsetting her, 'You should go. Dad woke up. He went to check the cameras. I make them malfunction when I leave the vault, but he might go inspect your rooms.'

Five's eyes widened. He didn't even think about the cameras although he should have.

He nodded.

He needed to go before dad would find his room empty and cause problems for both of them, but he wasn't sure how to say goodbye.

His eyes glanced at the books in the corner of the room and said, 'Do you want me to bring you something? A new book or-'

'It's fine. Pogo brings me new books every week,' said Seven not looking at him probably still feeling weird about admitting to hearing them.

He frowned a bit at that but quickly jumped back to the hallway and his room without another word keeping his annoyance that she wouldn't accept his kindness to himself.

When dad came to poke his head into the room, Five was already under the covers even if he was almost positive the old man knew he wasn't asleep. He let him be for once.

As he turned to his back to stare at his ceiling, he was even less pleased with what he found out than when he didn't know anything.

* * *

Five didn't show up again until a week later. He was worried dad was onto him with how much more pressure he was putting on his training and by having Pogo do random sleeping checkups now.

'It-it's because of l-lover boy and di-diva girl got ca-caught,' snickered Two next to him during the breakfast. It eased his paranoia, but he still wanted to be careful. He managed to figure out how to get to the camera room and set them on loop or turn them off completely so dad wouldn't notice although he couldn't be sure about that either.

What brought him back to the vault were two things mainly. He was still curious about Seven and the things he didn't know about her and the house he lived in, and he felt like since he knew she was there not visiting her would be like leaving her all alone, the way dad, Pogo, and mom did.

_That really left a bad taste in his mouth._

Five jumped right into in front of the last door to her room/prison this time and even knocked waving at her as she turned around from her desk hiding something from his view rather quickly before she pointed somewhere above the door.

Five simply jumped inside causing her to take a step back, 'Oh, that's neat?'

He grimaced at her and then chuckled at her embarrassed look as she realized she sounded a bit stupid.

She explained to him that dad installed a sensor on the door, and she wasn't confident about turning it off yet.

'What have you been reading recently?'

'The old man and the sea,' she said and pointed at her little nightstand, 'Pogo brought it to me on Monday.'

He nodded and pulled out a small wooden item causing Seven to blink curiously, 'I know you said Pogo brings you the books, and until now you were able to take your own snacks…,' he wasn't sure where he was going with it, but he handed her the small thing, 'It's a brain teaser. Sort of like a 3D puzzle. Dad gave me plenty, and it's small enough for you to hide it if he tries to look around your room.'

Seven reached out and took it with an unreadable expression that for a second made Five worried the girl didn't like it before she beamed at him in the brightest way he saw since he met her, in fact, it was the first time he ever saw her smile since he met her, and he couldn't help, but think it was very adorable, 'Thank you, Five. I will work on it during the day and show you my progress.' It would have sounded odd to someone else, but Five understood it perfectly. This was how all of them were raised, to thank for everything they received knowing it was a gift they should explore and perhaps show and tell what they learn from it.

'Are you hungry? I can get you something from the kitchen,' he said, 'I figured out how to put the cameras on a loop no one would know.'

She shook her head looking a bit embarrassed again, 'No, I wasn't really hungry before. I just wanted to sneak out.'

He chuckled at that while looking around still feeling a bit uneasy about the place even if he literally possessed the power to leave any time he wanted, 'So.'

He turned to the girl as she tugged some of the hair behind her ear looking at him a bit unsure of what they should do now before she asked, 'What were you up today?'

Five hopped on her bed, 'Spiral jumps for almost eight hours. It was exhausting. I wanted to jump away to my room or maybe tell him to go to hell.'

'Uh, I get that. I hate when dad makes me train longer than four hours. Sometimes I want to throw something at him,' she said in sympathy, and he couldn't help but chuckle that lead Seven to grin at him.

'What about the day before?' she asked and went to sit next to him while he told her about practice, their studies, their siblings, and anything he could think up before he had to go to his room or he would accidentally fell asleep in Seven's.

'Will you come tomorrow too?' she asked so hopefully, Five almost said right away before he could stop himself realizing he would be lying if he did.

'I have to sleep sometimes so dad won't notice I'm too tired. But I can probably come in two-three days? Let's make it three, so you won't wait for nothing in case I don't make it.'

She seemed to be okay with the logical reasoning and agreed to let him leave her and come back again in that case.

* * *

Since then they started to meet two sometimes a week whenever Five had the time to chat and spent time together. It was thrilling to get to know a person, he never did before. Seven was different than his other siblings often nicer, clever, and more funnier in a way the others couldn't.

Maybe it was because she wasn't a part of the upstairs the way he and the others were always having to compete over dad's approval between one another and therefore lacked the pride and annoyance the winner always possessed. Either way, Five hoped she would always stay that way as a nice friend he could talk to about mundane things, interesting and exciting scientific theories as well, and sometimes feelings. She was good at listening, offering input if she felt he needed it, and rather staying patiently quiet if he didn't need it.

She was intelligent enough to follow his train of thoughts only needing some directions when he got into more advanced mathematics or physics. It probably helped that when Pogo tutored her she had no distractions, but Five was positive it was mostly because of how smart Seven was in the first place.

She also seemed to be kinder and more generous than any of his siblings always willing to share a snack or book or whatever he bought her even if she didn't have to and already possessed so very little, to begin with never minding his at home, and belonging attitude in her room. She would probably be a goodie-goodie who would offer him her own jacket just to keep him warm.

By the time their meetings reached a month, Five was positive he liked Seven more than anyone in the house wishing every time he had to say his goodbye that he could take her upstairs with him feeling she would make a better fit than most of his other siblings. Deep down he came to the conclusion that Seven didn't deserve to be locked up like this even if she couldn't control her power and that she was the sweetest girl on the planet. Growing up he could be very stubborn and confident taking everything which he believed in as a _fact_.

* * *

Number Seven wasn't afraid of the dark either. She lived in it for most of her life. She could only leave her little 'prison' in the dark. In the dark was where Seven shined the most. Oddly with the adding days, weeks, and moths, Five decided he preferred the dark to the light if Seven was there with him. It was far more interesting.

'What?' she asked him looking up from their shared comics he stole from Two's-well _Diego's_ room tonight to show it to her. He didn't really like comic books. He found them terribly boring and the stupidity and incorrect use of physics, chemistry, maths, and biology made him want to roll his eyes or rip the paper apart so _no one_ would read such inaccurate ideas, but Seven _loved_ to try new things, things denied to her, things father, Pogo or mom wouldn't think off for her to try, things only a fellow pre-teenager could think up or know about or found fun and interesting. So he decided that today, he would bring it to her even biting back some of the less annoying mistakes or false science things.

Her hair fell over her should as she turned to look at him properly as they sit on her bed, and Five thought she was the prettiest girl he ever saw.

'Can I kiss you?' he asked not really sure why. He thought he was brave and confident enough to do it without asking for permission, but maybe he wanted to be sure. He didn't think about kissing her before. Honestly, the question came even before the process of establishing it and going over the pros and cons. Unlike, Four-Klaus who seemed to be keen on trying out new things and experimenting with almost all of their siblings, Five didn't see the appeal in exchanging saliva or touching someone else's face or hand before, but looking now at Seven as she was all cute and almost glowing in the dark like always he wondered if maybe it wasn't because he didn't really want to touch or kiss some random person or the first one he could, maybe he wanted to do all those things with someone… _special_. Someone-no, someone, Seven. Maybe he wanted to do all those things with Seven.

Even in the dark with only her little nightstand light allowing them to see their faces properly despite her eyes shining their bright white color, Five could see the little adorable blush covering her cheeks adding color to her usually pale glowing skin, 'Uh,' she briefly glanced at his lips in a way that got Five's heart to speed up and wonder if maybe she thought about it before curious as he now felt, as he always felt about everything in the world, including her, now more than ever, 'Is that allowed? Aren't we siblings?'

He blinked not really thinking about it as an issue, 'We are, but not really,' he smirked at her and felt relief upon seeing her slight smile and then another glance down to his lips, 'Yeah, I get that.'

His hand reached out and brushed a few hairs away from her shoulder behind her ear. Seven always had nice long hair, straighter and somehow softer looking than Three-Allison's. The door was open wide, yet it felt like the air around them was slowly getting heavier and both of them started to breathe louder for some reason moving or turning slightly closer to one another.

'We don't need permission. Not really,' he said for good measures, and Seven to his surprise chuckled not really melting the tension that was suddenly in the air away but definitely shifting it into something tender and calming in a way, 'Can you imagine dad's face if one of us asked him for permission to kiss the other?'

He chuckled as well realizing they slowly moved closer to one another, 'It would be priceless for sure.'

'He would kill us,' she said, her warm breath tickling Five's face since she was now so close.

' _Yeah_ …,' he breathed out more than said as before he even finished the word their lips were against one another with his hand still touching those few soft hair he pushed behind her ear. It was warm and not so terrible, but it only got better when he felt Seven move her lips against his that it felt good. When he started to move his lips against hers in slow motions creating friction and something inside his chest he only ever felt before on brief moments when Seven giggled at something he did or praised him for how intelligent he was or amazing, it began to feel very good. But then he found his fingers touching her cheek and her tongue pressing against his lower lip and something incredibly dark and heavy found shelter his stomach, and the whole thing felt out of this world, breathtaking, beautiful and any other word he could think up later couldn't do the sensation he felt right than justice. It was simply _extraordinary._

When they pulled apart, their loud and fast breaths were the only sounds they could hear. Seven's face was flushed and her eyes a bit less white than they usually were, he would almost swear that they were brown at one point.

His fingers were still pressed against her red cheeks and his entire being was _fascinated_ by her, everything about her, every big or tiny part of her.

He never had anyone look at him the way Seven did, and he decided in that very moment, he never wanted to have anyone else look at him like that but Seven with her beautiful illuminating white eyes.

The corner of her lips pulled into a smile before she full-on beamed at him and reached under the bed for the comics that managed to fall out of her hands sometime when they were occupied with more _interesting_ things in Five's opinion than the reading of fictional superheroes.

When Five finally moved his fingers it was only so his hand could rest on her back as he moved closer so he could _pretend_ to read the story with her.

With a slight knowing smile still present on Seven's lips, he was sure he wasn't being very good in pretending.

* * *

They did it again his next visit, as Seven asked him while putting the new item he brought her completely away, 'Can we do it again? The kissing. It was… _,_ ' her deep scarlet blush made Five feel prouder than any dad's praise or the envy looks of his siblings ever could.

'… _I liked it,_ ' she confessed with more confidence than he would think she had given her seeming shyness and embarrassment.

He knew he was being smug about it, 'You think we need to ask permission every time?'

'No, but I was worried if I didn't ask, we wouldn't do it again,' she shrugged her shoulders while admitting, 'So I decided to take the lead again.'

'Again?' he asked and frowned at her not really annoyed, 'How did you take the lead again? When did you take the lead first?'

'I kissed you first,' she said her shyness replaced with determination he hadn't notice before but liked all the same.

'No, you didn't,' he argued back feeling a bit foolish for playing into it while also excited about the teasing feeling his heartbeat picking up again.

She grimaced leaning closer again her white eyes flickering to that shade of brown again, 'Yes, I did you were moving so slow, so I kissed you.'

'That's not true at all,' he said before their lips were against one another maybe it was partly true, but then he felt the familiar feeling inside his stomach and who really cared? He could allow her to win this one time. It still felt like he got the reward.

* * *

Unfortunately, the kisses forced him to be more reckless than before now trying to get to her every day sometimes even falling asleep and barely managing to get back his room before anyone would notice.

'You're being careless,' said Seven as she agreed to him staying with her a bit longer on her tiny bed. The truth was he liked her bed even more than his since because of how small it was they had to be brought very close to one another absorbing each other's warmth and touch.

'Nonsense,' he denied while burying his face against her hair breathing in the smell of cheap shampoo and soap that she used in the tiny bathroom she used only in the evening or when the kids had seasons in the gym where she was always escorted by mom. Even though all of their activities were schedules as well, Five found it especially horrible and humiliating for Seven that she had to have her showers and bathroom breaks scheduled like a dog who needed to be taken out for peeing.

She giggled at his breath tickling her neck luring his thoughts back to nicer things like how much he liked laying next to her like this and listening to her laughter, 'Five.'

Even if he wouldn't admit it, she was right of course. He was getting careless, but he couldn't help it. Since their first kiss, he always wanted to be around her feeling everything else and everyone else too dull. A couple of days ago, he was excited to be presented to the world for their first mission, but now it felt all too boring only wanting it to be night again so he could sneak into Seven's prison and talk to her, and kiss her again. He was addicted to her, to be near her, to touch her. He used to think he could only get a rush like that from his jumps or theories but this seemed at times even better when Seven's all so soft whiny sounds made their way out of her lips whenever he leaned away.

He wanted more time with her. He wanted more of her. Always more of her. It seemed now more than ever unfair that she was forced to the basement, to the bunker like some animal or monster, and for what? Not being able to control her powers? Why couldn't the others know about her? Five had spent almost every night with her and nothing ever happened to him. They wouldn't get hurt knowing she was there. Dad was simply being an asshole as usual. But now Five felt personally offended and hurt by his cruel behavior as it was someone he cared and like as much Seven who was on the receiving end of dad's abuse.

'Seven,' he said and kiss her cheek enjoying how soft her skin always felt, 'You worry too much.'

'Only because you never worry enough,' she complained but tossed her arm over him to pull him closer already at peace with his decision to stay again clearly enjoying his company just as much as he did hers.

* * *

Five always wanted to stay. Sometimes, he wondered if he wouldn't be happier to stay with her down there all the time away from others especially those who seemed so dumb and dull in his eyes. The world wasn't as great as he thought it was. Some things were decent, adequate, but others were truly uneventful and tragically horrible in his mind. He seriously didn't understand Allison's fascination with media, reports, and their fans or Klaus and Diego's with pop culture. It all felt fake and annoying to Five.

The missions were manageable, but every now and then Five couldn't help but wonder why did they even bother before stalking into his room to work on far more brilliant and interesting things like time travel and then making a late-night visit to the seemingly only person worth his time, Seven.

'Is everything alright?' he asked her when he found her sitting on the bed hugging her knees and not waiting for him with a bright smile as always, 'It's fine. How was your day?'

He frowned, 'What happened? What did he say?'

After a while, since he started coming over to see Seven, she confessed some of the things dad said to her over their practices as he always seemed upset about her lack of improvement over controlling her powers.

Seven wiped her face although as far as he could tell she wasn't crying, 'Nothing. I just asked him something. It wasn't important, really.'

He took her hand in his, 'Tell me?'

But she shook her head insisting to know how his day was until much later at night she admitted, 'I asked him if he would ever let me out of the basement. He said he would once I finally learned control.'

Five brushed her hair, 'And?'

She shook her head, 'It's nothing.'

'Come on, tell me,' he urged her trying to make her look at him before he asked quieter as if anyone could hear them with the cameras taken care of her and room soundproofed from the outside, ' _please_.'

She looked up at him her white eyes revealing a certain sadness, 'I don't think I will ever learn it, Five. And if I never learn to control it. I will always be here.'

She revealed the annoyance with her situation she usually kept hidden from him in the way her forehead wrinkled, 'I hate it so much. I wish…I wish there was somewhere else I could go. Anywhere. Somewhere when I could see…grass and flowers or anything really. Something that didn't look like this or the house,' she spoke listing all the things she hated and wanted to see before her voice broke, and she let out a soft sob.

Five put his arm around her shoulders pulling her closer hating to see her distressed like this. He hated dad because of it too, 'I will take you. I will take you somewhere away. To the future? They surely improved the technology by then maybe in the future they can create a place you could visit like that without fear of losing control.'

Seven shook her head, but Five continued insisting presenting her with a world just for her where she could go wherever she wanted free from dad and her fears.

'Do you believe me?' he asked her after he explained his theory about time traveling.

_Do you believe in me?_

'Yes,' she replied, and he kissed her. He would have done so either way, but it felt sweeter when she said yes.

* * *

Five started to work on a plan. He would make a test run a few times to figure it out, and find the solution for Seven to control her powers properly before he would return and take her with him. He thought about it nonstop day and night being unfocused during missions, his times with the others and Seven always trying to get better results, always trying to get every equation perfectly right. They could be free. Both of them could be free from the house, dad, their lives, their fates. They could be together and free. It was all Five ever wanted.

'Tomorrow, be ready,' he told her jumping into her room without even properly setting cameras startling her a bit, 'I will make my first jump then return, find a place you can go, and come back for you. It will only feel like a few seconds for you though.'

He expected her to look excited, happy, or nervous. However, he was met with a sadness he didn't understand, 'I-I don't think it's such a good idea, Five. I shouldn't leave. I can't control my powers. Dad is the only one who keeps me from…ruining everything. I don't think I should leave, ever. I will stay here.'

'What? No! We talked about this, Seven,' he insisted with a frown not understanding her sudden hesitation when she always looked so thrilled about it or didn't she? Was she just humoring him in his nonsense the way dad used to before he finally told him it was childish of him to think he could do it? Didn't she really believe him at all?

'Seven!'

'Five, I can't. You have to understand. You didn't see what I can do if I lose control. It's…I'm not like you. I'm not a hero who goes on missions. I have to stay here. I'm sorry,' she said looking away not even offering him the decency of looking into his eyes.

'No, you're being ridiculous, Seven,' he argued with her believes, 'Don't you trust me? I said I can find a way. I will find it. You said you trust me, Seven.'

'I don't trust myself, Five,' she sighed which caused him to feel incredibly cross at her at that moment more than ever, 'Stop being a coward, Seven. You wanted to leave. You want to leave. You said so yourself. Why the sudden change?'

'I just can't, Five,' she finally looked at him, 'I can't leave here. I'm sorry. I don't think it will work for me…and I don't think you should go either. It doesn't sound…it doesn't sound 100 percent sure more like guessing.'

 _Guessing? Guessing!_ He would feel better if she had slapped him instead.

'No, that's not what I meant-'

'Fine! Stay here and rot in this little cage of yours for all I care!' he snapped at her and jumped away back into his room his fists clenched and his hands shaking as he felt he wanted to hit something very hard.

_Fine._

If she didn't want to come. She didn't have. He would go to the future and prove dad and her everyone wrong like always. He would prove he was right about it all like _always_ , and all of them would have to admit their mistakes. He would think he would enjoy dad's apology the most but he might as well enjoyed hers more.

* * *

'Seven! SEVEN!' it was the first thing Five shouted at the burning ruins of his home. He tried to find the door to the basement. It took his hours with the ruins of the house burying the entrance, but once he did, he jumped inside that much power he had left.

The basement was mostly undamaged probably due to being a sort of bunker underground, but once he came to the small hallway, to his complete shock he found it empty with all the doors wide open.

'Seven,' he whispered making sure she wasn't hiding somewhere before he jumped back up and started to call her name into the fire and ash like a desperate man looking for salvation that never came.

The newspapers said it was 1st April 2019. He had made it to the future. He made it almost seventeen years into the future, however, any joy or excitement he might have felt about it before was none-existing given how the place turned out to be.

_Carefully what you wish for_

He thought so bitterly. Those thoughts tasted worse than the ash and smoke filling his lungs.

It took him hours to finally give up knowing he couldn't get the calculations right and jump back in time and then some more hours to try unsuccessfully to look for survivors. Ultimately, he decided to retreat to the basement, and Seven's old room, as it seemed to be the only place that survived whatever the hell happened here.

Her room looked the same. It was built to break any sound to keep Seven's powers contained. He remembered those first few times he entered it, and how uneasy he felt inside it like he was trapped and the sounds all wrong, but now all he felt was some comfort and hope that the bunker was still here, that at least something survived this- _this apocalypse_.

Some items were those that had been there just the previous night when he so foolishly left her telling her to _rot_ inside. She kept his music box, puzzles, and games, the Wonder Woman comics he bought her, her secret stash of snacks. Others were new, books no doubt brought by Pogo, clothes other than uniforms, new pictures and articles about the Umbrella Academy, now proudly hung up between walls where they could, even their old TV with a timer, things she probably _earned_ by being a good girl and staying inside her little cage over the years. Then there were things, Five genuinely didn't know if Seven possessed before he time traveled or not.

 _His picture._ It was an ordinary picture one dad or Pogo made when they were adding something into their personal files. She must have stolen it on her from time to time walks around the house.

Despite the situation, it caused him to smile a bit. If she was here, he would no doubt got cocky and tease her which was why she probably had it hidden inside her pillowcase.

A handwritten book, which was full of recipes she gathered over the years maybe from books or TV. Sometimes she talked about Mum's cooking maybe the interest was there even before he left.

A box, which was full of little stolen items like a baseball cap, lipstick, old Umbrella Academy mask, sunglasses, bookmark, an earring, an old pocket watch, and a pen. All that he was sure belonged to his siblings, mum, Pogo, and dad. It was incredibly out of character and risky that she took them. Especially from the adults. If dad found out she was leaving the bunker, there was no telling what he would do. Wasn't that the whole reason behind their fight? That she was a coward who listened to dad like a good little girl and got nothing in return. Not even the acknowledgment from her other siblings at least that she was alive?

Five took hold of the mask. But that wasn't true. Seven made often trips to the house to gather food, or just walk around in the late night. She was scared of what dad would do the same way they all were, but she still rebelled every here and there. When he followed her, she could have told him right away to stop coming since it could cause her problems. Instead, she asked him to come again looking forward to it every time.

' _You lived in a way I can't imagine, you aren't a coward, far from it, Seven_ ,' he said carefully running his fingers over her possessions.

Five slept in her bed that night covered by her sheets still able to catch her scent. It made him realize it couldn't have been that long since she left and gave him hope to try and look for her again half wishing he found her and half wishing he never did if the only thing he would find would be her body the same way he found the others a few days later rotting between the ruins.

* * *

Five moved to Seven's room as the pragmatical person he was. It seemed the basement and the bunker was the only places untouched by the catastrophe that ended the world. It helped that the air was less filthy than one outside, but since he realized whatever ventilation made sure to run new air into the basement was out like all the other electronic devices, he had to leave the door constantly open before he brought them down all together worried that if powers would fail him completely he could end up stuck in the bunker the same way, Seven was for all those years.

At first, he worked by her desk occasionally drifting away from his calculations and equations to the little scratches on the wood wondering if it was from homework or when she was bored before he mindlessly started to write over the woods himself. He couldn't allow himself to be sentimental to things when he needed to find a way to get back home and stop a global disaster.

He once told her the best place to hid things was in places that couldn't be moved, so when he found some more items inside one of the broken cones, he almost smiled fondly again before he recognized them. They were things from his room. Some small magazines with theories, his old map of the solar system, markers he used on his walls, the old broken hand watch he never got around to fix or report to Pogo even one of his jackets that he recognized based on the little number five mom sewed under the sleeve. It made him ridiculously pleased and sad at the same time to imagine she sometimes put it on and wore it around maybe hoping to catch his scent the same way he did as he snuggled closer into her pillow still able to catch the faint smell of cheap soap and shampoo nothing like the fancy stuff Allison was allowed to use upstairs.

However, what shocked him the most was a notebook of hers tugged away safely along with what he assumed were her most precious possessions, things she never wanted dad or anyone to find.

The notebook served as a diary where Seven wrote most of her thoughts and what she heard coming from the outside world.

It was the first time, Five started to cry since his first night there.

_I think I love Five. I'm happy he was the one who caught me in the kitchen that night. I hoped I would get a chance to meet him every time I heard him write or walk around in the middle of the night. I liked his voice the most. I hoped we would be friends, but I'm pretty sure I love him, and I think he cares for me too._

Reading her words and short comments made him realized it was all real. In the past, the days leading up to whatever caused the apocalypse, Seven grew up, all alone in the basement without him, without anyone knowing she was even there in the first place. She was so alone and sad. And Five felt like he let her down more than when he shouted at her and ran away like a coward instead of trying to understand her.

_I don't want to hurt anyone. Dad always says if I would leave before I was ready, I would hurt someone. Sometimes it's hard to control it. All the noise. Sometimes even inside the bunker, I can hear the world outside if it gets too loud. I'm scared if I would go out it would be too much._

How could he dismiss her worries as cowardliness? He grew up with Ben. He knew first handed how hard some powers could be to control and how deadly they could end up being.

'I'm sorry, Seven. I'm so sorry. I miss you so stupidly much,' he sobbed and pressed the book against his chest keeping in his embrace all through the night like he would imagine he would keep Seven if she was there.

* * *

_I decided Five was right. I was scared. Scared of my powers, of the fear dad inflicted upon me of not being enough to control them. But not anymore. Tomorrow, I will leave and be free. Finally. Just like Five wanted me to._

It was the last entry in Seven's notebook. Seven didn't write dates the way a normal person would into a diary. But Five knew. She wrote this the day before the apocalypse. There was no mistake who caused it, and he couldn't help but took most of the blame on himself.

* * *

It took Five a while after the Handler recruited him and got him out. He spent forty-five years in hell thinking trying ever damn day to find a way back. Back to her.

The commission wasn't led by complete idiots, after all, so Five had to make sure they trusted his loyalties before he could make his moves. He became their best agent, their soulless killing machine, their most clever and successful recruiter, and their top head of the management. It wasn't so hard to spread and fuel the dissatisfaction many felt over the apocalypse and the way things were done until he found himself a rebellion and a few he could trust enough to leave the keys to the kingdom once he was done killing everyone in the old guard.

'Are you sure you wouldn't want to be head of the commission?' Herb asked him maybe hoping to convince, but Five never let his ambition cloud his judgment or divert his attention from what he really wanted since he was twelve sneaking out into the kitchen during that faithful night that his future changed forever.

* * *

With a suitcase at his disposal, Five made it back to the mansion easily eight days before the apocalypse that was now averted and erased from ever having to happen again.

He skipped the meetings with his family and father and immediately jumped to the basement just outside the bunker looking through the window.

A figure with long brown hair was sitting with her back to him by the desk perhaps writing into the notebook, he carried as well in his pocket as his most precious possession.

As he was debating on whether he should jump in, knock, or something else, the figure turned around. It was hard to see in the old window on the door, but Five could clearly make out the feminine features and wide glowing white eyes before the door started to open the sensor at the top no doubt turned off by them.

He stepped aside mentally preparing to tell her who he was since he was aware he aged significantly which was selfishly the reason why he chose to come now almost at the oldest age she lived to have, to be closer to her instead of feeling like a cradle robber. Perhaps, he should have issued himself a new, younger body to match hers. How incredibly unprepared he felt now despite all his calculations and thinking. It was just. He hadn't seen her in forty-five years, and he had spent all that time trying to find a way to come back to her, to be with her again. Only her. The only person he ever loved and cared for. The person he left alone locked up in the prison built by an old man who marked her a monster because of something she couldn't control. Yet, he was the one who ran out on her leaving her alone, and she never blamed it for it. Not once her notebook did she ever call him out on it, not even a notebook, a diary, her private thoughts apparently, all she ever wrote about him were good things. Good things that couldn't be true. Good things that weren't true anymore as his soul got bitter with years in the world of nothing without her and his hands got dirty with the blood he had to slip in order to come back to her. He was not a good man, not anymore. Maybe he wasn't even good enough to want someone as sweet and kind as her, but he was still a selfish person and wanted her any way he could.

She was stunning. Not even the commission had a picture of her in their file, but she looked like everything Five could ever hope for. She was his dream girl. All big wide glowing eyes he could look into for days, chestnut brown hair he wanted to brush his fingers over, a lovely petite figure he wanted to hold close. She was perfect. The most beautiful creature he ever so. His Seven.

'Hello Seven, you probably don't recognize me, but-'

'Five,' she said leaving him stunned as she walked outside toward him and threw her arms over his shoulders barely reaching them with her tiny frame showing more strength he would imagine she could possess. Did she grow up at all?

Once he overcame his surprise, he let the suitcase fall by his feet and hugged the tiny woman back allowing himself to melt against her, breathing her in and just letting the idea that she was really there in his arms sink like the desperate man that he had become. She felt and smelled like home. His own home was always in her arms.

It felt like ages before they finally leaned away from one another Seven's smile a bit smaller than he remembered causing him to feel the stab of guilt he grew so familiar over the years return, 'How did you know it's me?'

The woman let her palm slide from his shoulder over his chest, 'Your heartbeat is still the same.'

Her other hand moved against his cheek, 'And you wanted to time travel. I listened sometimes if I would be able to heart you. I sometimes hear the others. Not Luther once he was on the moon but Allison even if she was in L.A was easy. So I figured you probably made it since I couldn't hear you anywhere on earth.'

He let the realization of just how profound were her powers to sink in before he put his hands against her face as well and stroke her cheeks with his fingers getting familiar with their softness all over again, 'Can you forgive me for leaving?'

_It was his more dreadful question._

Her smile grew a bit wider before she stood on her toes and kissed him as her answer. The kiss felt just as he remembered _extraordinary_ and impossible to describe with Five's body feeling like he was thirteen again diving into the unknown waters of his first love for the first time ready to sink and drown just to feel and experience and get _more._

'Can I take you away from here?' Five asked her slowly making sure he wouldn't scare her. If she decided to leave, he would let her of course, but it would be better if she didn't. Less to deal with dad and the others if it came to it.

Her white eyes blinked, 'Where?'

'Home,' he said and stroked her cheek again, 'We can bring all your things. It's far away from people and soundproofed better than this so the noises won't bother you even during the day. It's a big house almost like this one with a garden inside where you can walk around freely.' He was desperate even if he didn't want to pressure her, he needed her to agree to come. He needed to take her away. He had worked hard to built a perfect place for her, for them. Somewhere they could stay forever. Somewhere she could be free. Somewhere she could call home with love and joy.

'Can we come back to visit sometimes? Pogo and mom?' she asked her voice didn't reveal any fear, and Five let relief wash over him, 'Of course, dear Seven. Anything you want.'

She looked a bit away her whole face lightening up with excitement, 'I-I will pack. Give me a moment, a few minutes really.'

He chuckled feeling younger just by looking at her hopefulness as she rushed into her prison to pack her things into her sheets since she never had any suitcase or bag before she took his offered hand and let him take her away.

* * *

Five didn't think he ever saw anyone as curious and happy as Seven as she walked barefoot around their new house getting familiar with all the rooms exploring it the way she probably had the mansion they grew up in when she was younger and alone in the dark.

It took her hours before they settled down in the indoor garden where she finally started to talk and ask him questions filling another few hours making him feel lighter than he had in years almost like the past decades were just a bad dream and they always lived here in their shared house happy and relaxed like this. She proudly showed him what had she been up to since he was gone and explained things most of which he knew based on her notebook between their kisses and comfortable silences absorbing the fact that at last, they were together again.

Once it felt like they spoke for too long and said too much, they found refuge in one of the bedrooms with Vanya laying next to Five seemingly happy that she couldn't hear a thing from the outside world.

'I'm going to miss not being able to hear the others though,' she said while snuggling against his side as if it was a place she always belonged the years that tore them apart almost unreal, their touches and affection welcoming and blissful.

Five stroke her from the top of her head all the way to her chin enjoying the feeling of her skin against his fingers, 'I plan to talk to them. If they want they can come to meet you.'

She blinked at him surprised, but he just smirked, 'We don't need anyone's permission anymore, Seven. Never again.'

When Seven kissed him her smile made it a bit hard to kiss her back, but Five would have sworn it made the kiss taste _pure freedom_ if he ever felt one.

**Koniec**

**Author's Note:**

> A.N: Hey, thank you for reading the story. I hope you enjoy it :) Sorry if it was too OOC I feel like I can never picture Five's actions as a real kid correctly. Like do I make him softer? More childlike? Cockier? :( Until I see a fiveya as kids scene in flashbacks I think I will never know for sure. Hopefully, all of you are okay and safe. Have a nice day.


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